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Saturday, July 30, 2011

So Cal Weight Loss Surgery Meet & Greet!

What a fun, fun day!  Everyone was sooo nice and we just sat around and talked and talked (and ate and ate)!  I started out the morning going to the Farmer's Market, gathering up yummy fruits and vegetables (and fresh flowers) for the week.  My parents go every weekend, too, so I met them there and always love their company.  We then went to Henry's Market for some deli meat and cheese.  Yum!  My dad then drove away with all our bounty from the morning to take home so it wouldn't spoil.  My mom and I stayed together, going shopping at the mall (got a really cute shirt and a new bra, because my "girls" are swimming in my current one...I have definitely lost some weight there!) before heading to Harveston Lake Park.

We got to the park probably an hour and a half early and saw Shelly (aka Eggface) right as we drove up.  I almost squealed when I saw her.  She was so sweet and cute!  I told her who I was and she recognized my name/picture and I was tickled! They weren't ready for the event quite yet, so we took a walk around the lake.  It was very beautiful today, even though it was a little hot and muggy.  By the time we made it around, I was dripping with sweat, but it felt good to walk.  I was also glad that the doors were opened early, as it was cool inside the building.  There were already a few people inside and there was a line for sign-ins.  I am really glad Shelly is going to email us with everyone's name and email (and location) so we can all keep in touch.  What a great support system!  Like Shelly explained in the event details, there was no speaker or planned agenda, just 70 or so WLS peeps, talking and laughing and sharing ideas.  I learned a great deal from the ladies I was sitting with and others who were sitting at the tables around me.  I met some that lived really close to me, others who had surgery near the time I had, others who had the same surgeon, and others who had the same surgery.  I also really liked looking at before and after pictures that people brought.  Some were AMAZING!

Here are some pictures of the goodie bag that we all received when we arrived:



So cool, right!!?  I love all the products and am excited to try them all, from protein drink samples, vitamins, high protein snacks, torani syrup, coffee sample, peanut butter, water bottle, and more!  So exciting! Also, there was a protein and vitamin exchange.  I brought tons of my samples with me, ones I knew that I wouldn't use because I couldn't handle them (yuck!).  As I was leaving my samples, someone left a tub of Max protein (my fav!) that they did not want.  I scooped that up really quick...it was Cookies & Cream flavor.  Yum!


After tons of talking and talking, the drawing started for all of Shelly's give-a-ways :)  She had tons and it was exciting to hear all the numbers and see people win stuff.  I heard my number and won a DVD from BariatricTV.com.  They were there, conducting interviews all day and I have seen their programs before.  They are hilarious.  I was pleased with my win :)  As we were gathering all the give-a-way winners together for a group photo (something Shelly wanted to do to thank all the nice supporters), the person who won the 5 lb. tub of vanilla Max protein walked by me.  That is the one prize I wanted to win.  I use protein all the time in cooking and shakes/ice cream and when I went to GNC to get some vanilla, they were all sold out.  The 5 lb. tub costs around $130 in the stores!  I commented on wanting that prize and she looked at me and replied, "Really?  I really wanted that DVD!"  So, we exchanged prizes!  I was thrilled!  Yay!


After the raffle winners, we all sat around and talked some more, but people started to slowly leave, as it was getting late.  I took some pictures of the group, the food, the lake, and of course of Eggface :)  My mom and I had a blast.  She even talked to Shelly's mom for a little while, discussing the support they give to their daughters.  I am glad she was with me.  I know she had fun, too.  I hope we don't have to wait a whole year to do this again.  Maybe I will see Shelly at the Farmer's Market or when I walk around the lake after work someday!?  Or maybe even when I grab a coffee at Starbuck's or enjoying a picnic somewhere with my bento box :)












Yummy food!
Snow Cones with sugar free syrups!










Me and Shelly
(aka Eggface)!






















 

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Today's the day...for my husband!

Right now I am sitting in the waiting room, having just kissed my husband goodbye as they wheeled him away.  I am so excited for him to also have this VSG surgery.  He wasn't really nervous, but maybe a little apprehensive.  I am praying that my husband has an easy time during surgery and recovery.

I am really looking forward to sharing this journey with him, the good and the bad:  being able to share meals with him, having him understand the whole process of pain and recovery and also of our changing bodies, and mostly just getting healthy together and enjoying life with our daughters. 

A note on my journey...I still am not out of my stall, but I had gained as much as 1-3 lbs. during these last 5 weeks and fluctuated there forever.  I am now, however, down to my lowest weight since the beginning of the stall, so I am hopeful to see the scale move again soon.  I am truly loving my sleeve now, feeling great and enjoying my small portions.  I am also not feeling sick at all anymore, which I am sooo thankful for. I had my 2 month surgiversary, but forgot to blog about it, probably because of the stall. I did take my measurements and was happy to see I had lost a lot of inches in all the areas (I don't have the info here in the hospital, but I will try and remember to post them later).

Goal for this month is to drink all my WATER!  Geesh, such a struggle for me!


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Knew it would happen

Yeah, I knew...I knew.  I just thought "maybe" I would be one of the lucky ones.  But it was not to be.  I am in a stall.  The scale has not budged. at. all.  In fact, it has gone up a pound.  I am trying not to think about it and just ride it out, but it is kind of disheartening.  One thing I am going to do is drink more water.  I probably (oh, who am I kidding...I for sure don't) don't get enough water in each day. I never have been good at drinking water.  I am going shopping today and will get new flavors of add-ins and look for cool ideas.  Hopefully that will help.  I have been exercising more and getting my protein in, so I will just continue with that plan.  I feel good and my clothes fit better.  That is more important than the number, right? (at least that is what I hear, lol!)